The usually lofty and dignified Hyuga Ginka was now wailing and rolling on the ground like an ordinary person. This was a massive shock to Hyuga Natsu, who had always held a reverent image of Ginka in her heart.
Hyuga Ginka's lips were slightly parted, her face pale, unable to utter a single word. Seeing this, Hyuga Natsu quickly ran out to find the elders of the Hyuga clan. Though she harbored resentment toward Ginka, if something were to happen to her, Natsu would not be able to escape responsibility.
Shortly after, the elders of the Hyuga clan arrived. However, Ginka's pale complexion had already returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. They took her to the hospital for a check-up, and the diagnosis was a minor stomach issue, likely caused by overeating. She was advised to rest for a few days, and she would recover.
"In the future, don't eat so much," one of the elders coldly glanced at her. Considering she was from the main family and had an engagement with the son of another elder, soon to be married for the sake of continuing the family line, they let it slide. Ginka's usual behavior of indulging in food and leisure without attending to her duties was overlooked. Perhaps this incident would serve as a wake-up call for her to be more restrained.
"Yes, Elder," Ginka nodded respectfully. Yet, deep inside, she was filled with doubt. Was it really just overeating that caused this?
From a distance, Hyuga Natsu quietly waited, skillfully masking the regret in her eyes as she lowered her head deeply.
"Are you satisfied now?" Natsu was startled and looked up to see a white pigeon staring at her. The pigeon's eyes seemed to transform into a strange pattern, and she heard a familiar voice. Immediately, an image flashed in her mind—a scene of Ginka rolling on the ground in agony, and herself... with a faint smile on her lips.
Just as she was about to speak and ask questions, everything before her vanished. There was no pigeon, no image.
"Let's go," a cold, aloof voice called out. Natsu, unable to dwell on the strange encounter, quickly followed. Along the way, a sense of unease and fear began to seep into her entire being. The methods of Shimizu were something she had never heard of before. Her deepest, most hidden thoughts had been laid bare by him. Even if she were to report this to the main family, they would never believe her. In fact, they would likely see her as troublesome.
As they moved further away from the hospital, the sun shone down on her, but it brought no warmth. Natsu began to regret ever getting involved with Shimizu. If he were to turn the tables on her, her fate would be...
The Uchiha Clan, Shimizu's Residence.
Shimizu, standing in the courtyard, suddenly smiled. The Transcription Seal he had placed in Natsu's eye had taken effect. Back in the office, just before Natsu left, Shimizu had cast the seal on her. The Byakugan could see through genjutsu, so to be cautious and avoid anyone detecting it through Natsu's Byakugan, he had used up nearly 70% of his chakra reserves in a single go. When the Transcription Seal was activated, it would also destroy any residual chakra left in Natsu, leaving no trace behind.
Fortunately, the chakra of the Three Tomoe Sharingan would naturally recover over time, with no side effects. Even if fully depleted, it would restore within a day or two.
"Coo..."
The white pigeon flew onto Shimizu's hand, bobbing its head as if seeking praise.
"Well done," Shimizu gently rubbed the pigeon's small head, stroking its smooth feathers. His eyes gleamed with contemplation.
Hyuga Natsu, without a doubt, harbored dissatisfaction toward the main family. Shimizu had deduced this from their very first meeting. In the original story, she had always kept it hidden because she lacked the strength to act on it. Now, Shimizu had given her an opportunity for revenge. It was up to her whether she could seize it.
In the simulator, there had been several instances where it mentioned Shimizu guiding Natsu into darkness. What exactly this darkness was, Shimizu wasn't sure, but just from the description, he knew it meant Natsu had fallen onto the path of the Asura. Once Shimizu gained control over Natsu, he could use her to influence her highly esteemed sister, Hyuga Ginka.
Natsu was not like Yūhi Kurenai, the sole daughter of the Yūhi clan. She was merely a servant of the branch family, with limited access to information. The real prize was her sister, Ginka. Any significant movements within Konoha, especially those concerning the Hyūga clan, would be known to the main family. This way, Shimizu would gain another informant.
As for whether Natsu would submit to him, Shimizu was confident. His ability to paint a compelling future was top-notch. After all, which branch family member wouldn't want to break free from the Caged Bird Seal? Of course, if she couldn't be swayed, Shimizu wouldn't mind having another puppet, directly controlled through the Sharingan. It would require periodic infusions of Sharingan chakra, but if necessary, he was prepared to take that route, despite the risk of exposure.
The Hyūga Clan.
The night sky was filled with stars, and the moonlight bathed the courtyard in a silvery glow. The swaying flowers under the moonlight took on an ethereal quality.
Hyuga Natsu stared absentmindedly at the shadows of the flowers swaying in the wind.
"Should I go see Uchiha Shimizu tomorrow?" Natsu pondered. After what had happened, she felt she needed to ask Shimizu what exactly he was planning. What if something even stranger occurred?
"Natsu."
Hyuga Ginka approached.
"Y-Yes, Madam?" Natsu stammered, avoiding Ginka's gaze. What had happened was Shimizu's doing, but she shouldn't have smiled at that moment. A member of the branch family smiling while a main family member writhed in pain? Even a three-year-old could see the dissatisfaction she held toward the main family.
"Wash my handkerchief," Ginka tossed a slightly soiled handkerchief at her and turned to leave. The faint scent of water and Ginka's perfume lingered on the fabric.
"Yes, Madam," Natsu carefully caught the handkerchief and folded it.
"Natsu, there you are."
Hyuga Tokuma, drenched in sweat, ran up from the end of the corridor. After a full day of training, seeing his beloved at the end of it made all his exhaustion feel worth it.
"Are you really going to the battlefield?" Natsu asked. The last time Tokuma had told her he was heading to the front lines, she had congratulated him. But today, after leaving the Konoha hospital and seeing so many injured ninja missing limbs or wrapped in bandages, Natsu realized the war was far more brutal than she had imagined.
"If I achieve merit, even as a branch family member, I can learn more of the Gentle Fist techniques," Tokuma nodded confidently. In his view, his loss to Uchiha Shimizu was only due to his limited resources as a branch family member. Once he mastered the essence of the Gentle Fist, he might stand a chance against Shimizu.
Natsu looked at Tokuma's determined expression, a flicker of worry crossing her heart. No matter what, the two had known each other for many years, growing up together. Even if they were just clinging to each other for warmth, they had developed genuine feelings.
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